The Goosechase of a Lifetime
by Hikari2Yami
Summary: Harry's gone after the Horcruxes, but along the way, his world turns upside down. Night visions guide Harry through Grimmauld Place. Shocking discoveries await.
1. The Vision, Part One

**Authors Note: HI! I used to have a different account, That Kid You Saw On The Street, and I'm planning on importing my stories soon, from that one to this one. For now, enjoy one I thought of off the top of my head, within five minutes. I'm going to combine two or three chapters I wrote into this chapter, to make it look happier. **

* * *

_If only to turn back time..__.  
If only to see what could've been...  
If only I could see them  
Smiling down at me._

Harry wandered the streets, looking around at the houses. Godric's Hollow looked completley deserted. A ghosttown, full of ghosts. Harry shivered, and pulled his black cloak around him, trying to block out the numbness he was getting from the whistling trees.

Harry Potter was a seventeen year old boy... or was he a man? A rather tall, lanky figure, his eyes were a cynical, piercing emerald green, quick to laugh, but quick to anger. His jet black hair was the same as it always was, but having not cut it in a while, it started to grow a bit worse for wear. His glasses were still black, rimmed and circular, looking too big for the well defined face. A 5'10 figure, probably the tallest the young man would ever reach, he still had those knobbly knees we saw him with, all those years ago.

At the moment, Harry should've been with Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, his two best friends. They should have been at his side. But, Harry had said that he wouldn't be long.

Harry walked down the street that he once walked when he was a small boy, barely one years old. He turned, down into a _cul de sac_, and this scene greeted him.

A wrecked and ruined house, at the end of the _cul de sac_, a house that had looked as if it had been demolished, or had not been kept in centuries. Harry walked to the end of the street, and looked at an old, demolished mailbox. On it, some letters could be regonized.

_T e ot ers_

A few letters were missing, but what was most seen by Harry's eyes, was a coat of arms...

A lion, crouching to hunt a snake.

Harry shook his head, and went up the cobblestone path, fishing his way through the grasses. He finally came to a black doorway...

Past it, there was no house. The only thing left standing, was a blackened fireplace, and a couple of bookshelves, and some slabs of wall.

Harry walked through the rubble nervously, feeling as if he were intruding upon something important. His black boots crunched on rubble... and then on glass. Harry looked down.

A picture still moved, along the rubble, almost like a movie. Harry bent down to pick it up.

Within it, six were waving at Harry. A woman, with a baby in her arms, and four men, one of which had his hand around the woman's waist. The picture was too brown, and darkened to distinguish any real colour charateristics, but Harry saw one thing that startled him.

What seemed to be his own face, smiling back at him... holding the woman that looked so much like Ginny... who was holding a baby...

Harry looked up. "Mum. Dad." he muttered. "I finally found it."

* * *

He had found the Potter's house. 

Harry got up off the floor, looking around. The somewhat standing stairs... the walls...

_"LILY! TAKE HARRY AND RUN!"_

Harry looked around wildly. That voice... no, Dementors couldn't be here, could they?

_"JAMES NO!" _

A baby's screams...

Harry jumped, could almost feel something... moving beside him.

_"LILY! GO! YOU HAVE TO!"  
"JAMES! I'M NOT LEAVING-"  
"GO!"_

Harry looked behind him, at the staircase. The voices... they were coming from there...

_"Lily! It's Him! Go, run, please!"  
"JAMES!"  
"Lily! Remember Harry! We have to keep him away from Him."_

Harry walked slowly towards the staircase, feeling the voices getting stronger all the time... and the air harder to breathe in. Still, he did not stop... it was his parents...

_"Lily... please..."  
A shaded figure hugged another, who seemed to be holding a baby in her arms. The one holding the figure was sobbing.  
"Lily, please, you have to go. I'll wait for you, I promise."  
"James, don't be an idiot! There's no need-"  
"Lily, just go!"_

Harry blinked, and the images disappeared out of his mind, but not the voices.

_"Lily, please, you have to get Harry to Dumbledore! Get to Dumbledore!"  
"I'm not leaving without you James."  
"Mommy..." the little boy in her arms whispered. "Mommy... scared."  
"I know Harry, it's ok." The image of the mother hugging the child was so sweet. "I promise, it will be ok."  
"No. Mommy is scared." The little boy looked at her, and yet, you could see a faint hint of green where his eyes should've been.  
"Yes, Mommy's scared..."  
"Don't be Mommy. Tommy is friend. Tommy won't hurt you."  
The two figure, by now whom I can call Lily and James, looked at eachother. "What do you mean by Tommy, Harry?" James asked.  
"Tommy is friend. Tommy talks to me, at night."  
James looked up. "Isn't Voldemort named..."  
"Tom Riddle?"  
"Yes, exactly what I mean."  
There was a crash of the door, and the same urgency was back in the room. James yelled, "GO!" and Lily raced up the stairs, with the baby Harry in her arms. As they ran, Harry yelled,  
"TOMMY! DON'T KILL DADDY! DADDY, DON'T KILL TOMMY!"  
As they ran, Harry could see the man, and a white, pearly tear, trickled out of what was the clearly visible hazel eye. "Daddy can't kill Tommy son. Only you can kill Tommy... but Tommy can kill me."_

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**The line is where I ended the chapters, muhahahaha!**

**Yes, I know the chapter is still sort of small...**

**Anyway.**

**!Katrina!**


	2. The Vision, Part Two

**Author's Note: Again, seperation lines are where I began and ended the chapter when I first started to write it. Please review!**

**Oh yeah, none of this is being sold, so if I have to post, YET AGAIN, that this is the property of J.K.R., or at least the charaters are, I'm gonna spew.**

* * *

Harry stumbled back, trying to get the images out of his mind, but they wouldn't stop coming...

A man turned the corner, as Lily ran up the stairs. The little Harry gasped.  
"Tommy! What you doing here?"  
"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SAYING TO MY SON!" James yelled.  
"Oh, temper temper Potter." the cold voice muttered.  
"YOU BASTARD!" James yelled, as Lily ran. James raised his wand.  
"This should be fun." Voldemort muttered, taking out his own.  
The baby Harry struggled to get down. "Daddy! Don't kill him!"  
"Harry, we have to go." Lily said urgently, trying to pick him up. He refused.  
"No Mommy! Daddy gonna kill Tommy!"  
"Daddy won't kill Tommy, I promise." Lily looked down at her husband, a pearly white tear trickling from her eye.  
"Lily... just go." James muttered.  
Lily picked up the screaming Harry, and ran into the room.  
"Well... let's end this." James sighed.  
"Oh, aren't you going to do this properly Mr. Potter?"  
James growled, and he bowed slightly to him, while Voldemort gave a low, long bow. Harry could see James's nobility and his sneaky self coming crashing over his head, but he seemed to surpress cursing him while Voldemort wasn't looking.  
And then... the duel began.  
Voldemort shot a jet of golden light at James, knocking him quite forcefully into a wall. James gave out a grunt of pain as the wall contacted with his back, and he fell to the floor. Voldemort was already on the move for the stairs, when James tripped him up with his wand, causing him to smash into the stairs. They carried on like this for quite some time... until Voldemort shot James again into the wall, and James was unconsious.  
Voldemort walked up to him, and stuck his wand at James's neck.  
"Goodbye Mr. Potter." he muttered, his eyes glinting red. _"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_  
A flash of green light blinded Harry's eyes, and he couldn't see anything, only hearing the screams of the baby Harry. "TOMMY! NO! DADDY! TOMMY, WHY!"  
Voldemort took the stairs, two at a time, and Harry followed him, almost in a trance... some of the second floor was still built and standing, as Harry walked out onto the unstable second floor...  
Lily was running into one of the bedrooms, and locked it, as Voldemort walked for the door. The baby Harry was still screaming, quite forcefully, "LEMME GO MOMMY! TOMMY KILL DADDY! HAWEE GOTTA KNOW WHY!"  
"No... Harry, stay in your crib."  
"MOMMY! NO! TOMMY KILL DADDY! TOMMY KILL MOMMY TOO!"  
"Tommy might kill Harry if he doesn't be quiet." Lily muttered through the door.  
"Tommy no kill Hawee. Tommy say he come see Hawee."  
"Harry, you must understand! Listen to me!" Lily cried urgently. "Harry... if you survive... you have to avenge Daddy, avenge Mommy. Harry, you must survive, you're meant to... this isn't your time."  
"What you saying Mommy?" Harry asked curiously.  
"Harry... Tommy is going to kill Mommy-"  
"NO! HAWEE WON'T LET TOMMY!"  
"Listen to me!" Lily snapped. "Tommy WILL kill Mommy, but Harry... you have to go on-"  
"Listen to ME!" Harry yelled back at her. "Tommy WON'T kill Mommy, Hawee WON'T have go on without Mommy, and Hawee gonna TELL Tommy to not kill Mommy!"  
"Harry!"  
Voldemort shook his head, and crashed the door open, causing Lily to scream. Harry saw the baby 'Hawee''s face, looking angrily at Voldemort. "LEAVE MOMMY ALONE!"  
Lily groaned. "Harry, please!" She stood in front of her son.  
"Stand aside you silly girl."  
"Take my life instead, please!"  
"NO! TOMMY, BUGGER OFF!"  
"HARRY!"  
Even though the situation was bad, Harry couldn't help but appreciate the attitude he had as a little boy.  
"Stand aside."  
"No... please..."  
"Stand aside Mudblood!"  
"NO!"  
_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_  
There was a scream of terror, a scream of fury, and a flash of blinding green light, as Harry was nearly knocked over by trying to get away from it. The baby screamed, "NO!" and yet another flash of light came from the bedroom, but this time, a roar of sound washed around Harry's ears, as he stumbled backwards, not able to see...  
His vision cleared, and he saw the baby Harry unconsious on the floor, but clearly not dead, but Voldemort's body... it was gone. Something was lying in it's place...

Harry shook his head, and it went back to the real world. The dank, dark, real world. Harry started crawling along the floor, realizing he was on shaky ground, towards the object, which he saw lying in rubble.  
As he retrieved it, he gasped. Why would Voldemort carry this in his pocket!  
The cup of Hufflepuff...  
It was broken.

The Horcrux was destroyed.

* * *

**Yes, this one is VERY short, sue me.**

**Wait, don't. I don't have any cash.**

!Katrina!


	3. Back With Friends

**Author's Note: You know what I gonna say.**

* * *

Harry was stunned, as he gathered up the pieces of the cup, and stowed them into his pocket. Two pieces, it was spit in half, but it was defineltey gone. It was destroyed.

But how? By a fall?

No. It couldn't have been.

Harry crawled across the unstable floor, towards the staircase, and ran down the wooden stairs.

As he ran, he stumbled on a stair, and went crashing down into the dust. He gasped as he cut his leg on a shard of glass, rather deep. After a bit, he got up, limping, and looked around the house.

So, his parents house DID hold a clue.

Now, where would he look next?

A CRACK! sounded out in the yard, and Molly Weasley shot out of bed with a shriek.

"Wha...?" asked the man beside her, her husband, Arthur.

"Arthur... there's something in the yard!" Molly whispered, frightened.

Arthur was immediatley awake, and ran to the window, looking out. A black, cloaked figure was limping up the driveway, towards the house.

Arthur grabbed his wand, and went downstairs, while Molly grabbed her wand and went to the hallway, their room being the first room before the children's rooms, blocking it.

As Arthur walked towards the door, the doorbell rang, and a voice called out.

"Mr. Weasley? I'm sorry I got here so late-"

Arthur immediatley grinned. Harry. Then he sobered.

"Harry? Is that you?"

"Yes Mr. Weasley. I'm sorry I got here-"

"You'll need to say your code, my boy."

"Oh right." There was a cough outside the door. "Very well then."

"What is my life's ambition?"

"To learn how airplanes stay up. What does Harry Potter love most in the world?"

"Not getting shot by a killing curse." Harry replied curtly.

"Ah, ok, it's you."

Harry laughed. "Can I come in?"

"Yes." Arthur opened the door, and smiled.

The seventeen year old boy now had his hood off, and he was grinning with delight, even though he seemed to be balancing on one leg rather than the other. "Hey Mr. Weasley. Did Ron and Hermione turn up yet?"

"About a week ago. Where did you go?" Arthur asked.

"Trip down Memory Lane." Harry replied wryly, walking into the house.

* * *

"HARRY!" was shrieked from an upstairs room. "WHERE IS HE!"  
"Down here Hermoine." Harry muttered as he ate the last of his soup.  
Six o'clock in the morning, and Harry was still up, trying to get warm from the chill of outside, and the events that had happened to him. Harry had been force-fed by Mrs. Weasley for the past three hours. ("YOU'RE SO THIN THOUGH!" "Mrs. Weasley, I've been eating the whole of your kitchen...") The only reason Harry wasn't protesting that much was because it was the most normal thing he had experienced in about a month. Mrs. Weasley feeding everything that walked. Never changed.  
There were crashes of feet on the stairs, and a crash of a body tripping down the stairs, and Ronald Weasley came to a crash on the floor, followed closley by Hermione Granger. She landed with an "OOF!" on Ron's chest... for a moment, the two stared at eachother, then got off eachother, fast. Harry snickered a bit, rolled his eyes, and his sight stopped on Mrs. Weasley, who was watching them, shaking her head. She rolled her eyes, looked at Harry, and to Harry's surprise, winked. Then she jabbed her thumb at Mr. Weasley, and mouthed, "Just like us."  
"No kidding." Harry whispered back.  
Hermione, a seventeen year old who was a bit on the short side, had bushy brown hair and more brains than Harry and Ron put together, stood beside Ronald Weasley, flushing.  
Ron, a tall, gangly seventeen year old, with red hair and more freckles than Harry thought possible, looked an exact duplicate of what his father looked like, oh so long ago. Harry couldn't believe the guy was still growing, but no, he had sprouted since Harry had seen him.  
"Harry! It wonderful for you to finally come and talk!" Hermione said, walking over to him and hugging him.  
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult." Harry grinned.  
"Take it your way." Hermione grinned at him, sitting down, while Ron sat on Hermione's other side.  
"So, how you guys been?"  
"Shouldn't we ask you that mate?" Ron asked.  
"You first."  
"No, YOU FIRST!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed.  
"Not at the dinner table, your mother will think I need to be put in an institution for my health."  
"That bad, huh?" Ron asked.  
"You could say that."  
"What exactly did you do Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked suspiciously.  
"Do I have to talk about it now?"  
"HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley looked furious, then laughed and shook her head. "Alright."  
"OY! How come I never get off like that!" Ron asked.  
"Because you live with me."  
"Ah crikey."

Harry soon was busy changing into something not quite so worn, and dark. He winced as he moved around on his leg, the pain putting the leg to sleep. Another reason he wanted to get changed, he wanted to see the extent of the damage.  
There was a knock outside his door, a very rapid tap, and Ron came into the room, carrying clothes in a basket. "From Mum, she got a hold of your trunk and raided it."  
"Again?"  
"Again. She says also to get rid of all the junk you have in there."  
"That junk is momentos!" Harry replied, scandalized.  
"A crumpled up crisps bag is a momento?"  
"I was hungry, and I didn't have any place to put it!"  
"Right." Ron laughed.  
The door opened again, and Ron and Harry whirled around. Hermione was there, and before Harry could cover his upper torso, Hermione already threw a sheet at him as if this were usual.  
"Hermione! You've never heard of knocking, have you?"  
"Harry, you don't have anything that I've never seen before."  
Harry and Ron both stared at her, Harry in complete shock at what she said, Ron looking furious.  
"Excuse me!" Ron asked hotly.  
Hermione laughed. "Guys, I'm kidding!"  
"I hope so." Ron muttered.  
"And why would you hope that?" Hermione retorted.  
"He likes you." Harry said briskly.  
"OY! I DO NOT!"  
Harry rolled his eyes, and said, "Why are you in here anyway Hermione? Ginny catches you in here, I get-" He broke off, looking out the window. He kept forgetting... he split himself away from her...  
"No. She won't. Anyway, why were you gone so long? Did you find anything?"  
"Now that you mention it." Harry muttered, dropping the sheet. He walked over with only his pants on, and grabbed his cloak, taking out the shattered cup that was inside, handing it to Hermione. Hermione gasped and took it, Ron hanging close to her neck to see it.  
"The Cup... you destroyed it?"  
"I may have when I was a child, I don't know. I found it close to my bedroom-"  
"Wait a moment." Hermione looked up. "What bedroom? The DURSLEYS?"  
"No. In Godric's Hollow. It was under rubble, and already split..."  
"Hmm... Maybe the killing curse destroyed it?" Ron asked.  
"I'll look it up!" Hermione smiled.  
"One problem. Your precious library is in the mountains." Ron pointed out, jabbing his thumb north, where, somewhere, Hogwarts was located.  
"Oh... yeah..." Hermione blushed.  
Harry shook his head. "Well, whatever the cause, I think it's destroyed."  
"Well, there isn't any magical energies spilling from the cup, which there would be on broken magical items, such as wands and brooms, so yes, I would say it is destroyed." Hermione recited. Ron and Harry looked at each other in exhasperation. "If this is Hufflepuff's cup." Hermione finished.  
"Well, Hufflepuff's cup in the memory that... Dumbledore... showed me, it had the crest of Hufflepuff engraved on the bottom." Harry muttered.  
Ron took the cup from Hermione, and fit the two pieces together gently, then looked at it. Harry and Hermione hung over his shoulder... and again, Harry noticed Ron and Hermione a BIT too close.  
"There it is!" Harry exclaimed.  
The crest was there, not clearly because of the break, but it was there, in all it's demolished glory. It seemed... blacker though, somehow. You could tell it was authentic, but it seemed to be darker around the edges. Probably reminiscense of the Horcrux magic.  
"Well... someone did it, but you got it Harry!" Hermione cried in delight.  
"Good job mate!" Ron hooted, patting him on the back.  
Harry sank back onto his bed. "Oh thank Merlin."  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and the three broke out into laughs of relief.

* * *

**And here was where I got stuck. I didn't want it to look cheezy. Cheeze cheeze cheeze!**

**Anyway, I'll be a BIT later in getting Chapter Four out...**


	4. A Wise Hermione

**Author's Note: Wow, such a fast reply, it's only been, like, five minutes! Thanks! I'll explain why Voldemort had the cup with him... eventually. ;)**

* * *

Harry walked down the stairs, a couple of hours later, with a bit of a limp, but otherwise ok. He still wore black though, a black t-shirt with black jeans, and black trainers. Ron and Hermione walked with him, going on about the world.

"Well Harry, you almost missed Fleur and Bill's wedding!" Hermione said after an interesting conversation on Hagrid occupying his spare time trying to get a hold of a Chimera.

"Really? I was kind of hoping I had..." Harry teased.

Fleur Delacour was Bill, Ron's eldest brother's, fiancee. A part Veela, she looked good, caught the eyes of men around her, and she knew it too. Harry had been one of the only boys not to fall to her charm... though Ron had. Ron DEFINETLEY had. Ron was still infatuated with the woman, though, hopefully, Ron would get over her.

"Oh, don't let Mum hear you say that, she'll kill you." Ron groaned.

"I know." Harry laughed.

Harry listened to his two best friends as they went on about Fleur and Bill's wedding. It was good to see the two of them again, and to have at least a bit of normal in his life, espicially at the moment. He was kind of savouring in the feeling, letting it seep in, before he had to go back out and do his thing...

Alone.

Harry still couldn't get over it. A road he had set down, with his teacher, his mentor, a dark, cold, hard road, full of trial and suffering, he had to walk it alone. All because...

Harry shook his head. Snape. All because of Snape. Snape had killed Dumbledore-

That was too harsh, too cold. Dumbledore, dead. Dumbledore, gone. Harry continued on, in his memory, for him and for himself... but truly, he couldn't see the end. He couldn't see what would happen, after the end. It was just dark, light was only behind him, behind, in his past.

Dumbledore had been his light.

_"But you know, happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times. As long as one knows, to turn on the light." _**(Author's Note: Yes, I know it's from the POA movie, I was just really touched by it.)**

Where was the light to be turned on?

His light had burned out, and he had gone too far to walk back for another one.

The wind had snuffed out his light.

Snape had snuffed out Dumbledore's life.

Tears would have come to Harry's eyes, had he not detached himself from his feelings somewhat, but one thing still went through his head.

His light was snuffed. His life was snuffed. Now...All he could do, was go all the way. Without his light.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione came to the ground floor, where yelling from the kitchen came to his ears.

"I DON'T BLOODY WELL CARE IF MY NAME IS VIRGINA, OR GINEVRA! FRED, TURN MY HAIR BACK TO RED RIGHT NOW, OR A BIT OF RED IS GOING TO BE SPLATTERED ON THE BLOODY WALLS!"

"GINNY!"

Harry's heart started pounding. Ginny... no, he shouldn't be here! He can't be here! What if something were to happen to her! NO!

He stopped, dead in his tracks, at the last stair. Ron and Hermione kept chatting and walking, but Hermione noticed him, pale as a ghost, frozen on the stair, and stopped, looking at him.

"Harry?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Your scar isn't twinging, is it?" Ron asked, face screwed up in worry.

"I have to go." Harry said stupidly.

"But, you haven't seen Ginny yet!" Hermione exclaimed, shocked.

"T-that's why I have to go!" Harry took a step backwards. "I..."

He looked at Ron, almost afraid. Wait... did Ron know? Did Ron know that he broke up with his sister? Did he know WHY? Apparantly not, because Ron was looking bewildered.

"Harry... she'll kill you if you don't go see her mate! She's been worried sick! I swear, she hasn't eaten in a week!"

Harry's mind raced again. _Hasn't eaten in a week? Oh good lord, what did I do!_

_It was for her own good._

_I can garuntee her safety if she's at my side!_

_She's safer here._

_But-!_

_Remember the Chamber of Secrets._

Harry's face was screwed up in frustration. He wanted to see her, so desperatley... his nobility was kicking in, however. His urge to do the right thing... but his urge to see her, to love her...

Hermione looked at him critically. "Ron, could you go into the kitchen for a moment?" she asked.

Harry suddenly felt relieved. Good. Hermione was mind-reading again. How she did it, he would never know, maybe she was a Legimens, but he was thankful for it now.

"Er... why?" Ron asked, suspicious.

"I'm going to knock some sense into him. But, if you truly want to stick around..." she took out her wand.

Ron got the gist immediatley, and scuttled into the kitchen at top speed.

"That was harsh. You're not truly-"

"Oh, of course I'm not going to Harry, honestly!" Hermione pocketed her wand. "Now, what's going on?"

"I broke up with Ginny right after Dumbledore's funeral." Harry muttered.

Hermione looked stunned for a moment, but regained her composture. "Well... that explains a lot. Why?"

"Remember second year?"

"I was out for half of it, but yeah." Hermione replied with a smile.

"She was-"

"Yeah."

"Well... Voldemort tried to kill her, for his life?"

"Yes... what does this have to do with it?"

"Think Hermione. Tom used her for a chance to see me. She was just my best friend's little sister at the time."

Hermione sighed. "I see your reasoning. I see one flaw, as well."

"Yeah?"

Hermione shook her head. "Voldemort's still going to know."

"How?" Harry replied hotly. "I mean, she'll be away from me, I won't be thinking about her all the time-"

Hermione broke out into sad laughter. "Harry, Harry, Harry." she said, almost as if she were chiding a child. "Harry, you tend to wear your heart in your eyes."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked, his eyes glinting with anger.

"I mean, Voldemort just has to make one mention of the diary that you destroyed, you think back, it shows in your eyes... I don't know how to explain it. It's just... when he sees something is effecting you, he'll break into your mind, to figure out what that is. Your own heart will be your downfall."

Harry looked at her quizzically, his eyes sparkling with puzzlement.

Hermione laughed. "Like right now. Don't worry... in time, you'll come to understand." And, without knowing it, she gave a Dumbledorish wink.

As she walked into the kitchen, Harry looked after her in shock.

How did she know these things! It was scary...

* * *

**Before you ask, no, the fact that she seems to be a lot like Dumbledore is NOT going to be really there in the plot... It's just the beginning of Harry realizing that he's not as alone as he thinks.**

**!Katrina!**


	5. Love's Quarrel

**Author's Note: Just keeps goin' and goin' and goin'...**

**Not to mention my fans on Rupe's Party Place want me ta keep goin' and goin' and goin'...**

* * *

Harry started to breathe slowly, and walked into the kitchen.

Ron and Hermione were talking in a corner, Ron looking furious but Hermione trying to calm him down. Harry looked guilty as Ron shot a look of fury at him, while Hermione slapped his arm. Harry decided to ignore this scene, and look around the rest of the kitchen.

The kitchen was a flurry of activity, Mrs. Weasley and Fleur Delacour were at the stove, chatting and preparing breakfast. A Weasley, Harry didn't know just whom, was hiding behind a paper, reading, while Mr. Weasley talked with Bill, Fleur's husband. Harry's stomach gave a jolt, as he looked at Bill.

Bill used to be handsome, catching the eyes of the ladies, but now, he was a mess. His face was scratched up, but Harry could see, (as he chuckled), that Bill had used one of his scars for an eyebrow piercing, which Harry thought was rather cool. It looked as if Bill was the same, making usage of the skin he had left on his face. He didn't look half bad actually.

Mr. Weasley, a tall, balding man with glasses, was talking with Bill about something, that Harry could catch a few words of.

"Well, I think your mother will go mad if you don't cut off the ponytail for your wedding-"

"DAD! Not you too! I've said it before, get off the bloody ponytail!"

Harry snickered, and sat down across from the Weasley with the paper, trying to figure out if it was Fred or George. He couldn't see much of the figure.

"Hey." he commented, as he took an apple from a dish on the table. He took a bite into it... but he following events would make him regret it.

The paper lowered, and it was clearly evident that a girl was behind it. A girl with long hair, and brown eyes that seemed to gaze into your soul, something that Harry dearly loved. The hair, however, was different from what Harry remembered... bubble-gum pink.

Harry immediatley started a hacking fit, coughing up the chunk of apple, dropping it onto the floor as he hacked and gasped for breath. Ginevra Weasley bent down under the table, and picked up the apple, handing it to him.

"This yours?" she asked with a wry smile.

"Gi-Ginny!" Harry hacked out, taking the apple. "Wh... excuse me..." he hacked again, clearing his throat. "Wh... how are you? What did the twins do?" he asked, pointing at the hair, pretending all was normal. In all, his mind started to race.

_Try to act normal, try to act normal, try to act normal..._

_What about what Hermione said though?_

_THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING TRY TO ACT NORMAL!_

_Won't work..._

And it didn't, his eyes shone out with love, and with pain, and with an inside fury, directed at himself. He had to keep reminding himself, why he broke up with Ginny...

Broke up for her safety...

Ginny laughed, as if nothing were wrong, but she was kind of tense. "Fred gave me one of the hair-care products. I decided to send him a letter, from his DEAR sister." she grinned evily.

Harry laughed weakly. "Er... letter?"

"Howler, letter, what's the difference?"

"Quite a lot of difference."

"Ah, you worry too much..." Ginny broke off. "Wait, you do worry too much. So that's not that funny."

Harry saw what she was getting at. "Ginny, I'm sorry that-"

"No. Don't be. I can understand your reasoning... but I still say you worry too much! Look, Hermione told me everything!"

Harry looked bewildered. "Everything of what? How?"

"I... I was crying a lot. At night." Ginny blushed. "I saw one of your pictures. The one you took for the Quibbler."

Harry's heart gave a pang of pain.

"Anyway, and Hermione came in... we talked for a while, and I told her... what happened to us." Ginny swallowed. "She... she told me, everything."

"What do you mean by everything." Harry stated.

"What you're planning to do. Why you're not coming back to Hogwarts." Ginny looked furious. "And I simply won't stay here, while you go out and risk your ass, AGAIN!"

Harry sighed. "She told you about the Horcruxes."

"Of course she did!" Ginny threw up her hand in frustration. "I don't see why you didn't tell me!"

"You don't?" Harry asked, almost calmly, almost cynically. He was taking a Dumbledore approach to the situation, without realizing it. It helped a lot, and Harry couldn't help but appreciate what Dumbledore went through with his own mood swings.

"No! I don't! I thought you trusted me!"

"I do. I just don't trust that you'll stay where I ask."

"Oh for..." Ginny looked at him furiously. "I want to come with."

"Ah... no."

"Harry!"

"Ginny, I don't want to drag you across the whole of England!"

"Oh, but you're willing to drag my brother and his girlfriend?"

"Your brother and his girlfriend are coming because they... hold up!" Harry looked bewildered. "GIRLFRIEND!"

"Oh, please, you haven't noticed them?" Ginny asked, a bit too loudly. Actually, this conversation had escalated a bit too loudly by now, and the whole family, including Hermione and Fleur, were listening in.

"Well, yeah, but they've finally gone out and done it?"

"NO!" Ron and Hermione yelled, scaring Ginny and Harry out of their skins. Ron and Hermione looked at eachother, and stepped away from eachother, quickly.

"Ah..." Ginny looked a bit ashamed.

"Oh, dear." Harry looked rather abashed. "This isn't good, is it?"

* * *

**Ah, and Ginny FINALLY gets her hands on Harry.**

**!Katrina!**


	6. Laughs and Cries

And now, Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to the pair of them.

Harry sat with Ginny out in the garden, staring at the gnomes, but not really seeing them. He couldn't help but feel comfort from Ginny's presence, as they sat in the sunset.

Ginny looked up. "Harry." she said, poking his arm.

"Wha..?"

"Look who's coming."

Harry looked around, and saw Ron and Hermione talking together, muttering to themselves. They looked up as they saw Harry and Ginny.

"Sorry." Harry commented, his eyes glinting with guilt.

Hermione looked at Ron, then looked at the pair sitting on the bench, then sighed. "How long have people thought that?" she asked curtly.

"Since... god, before or after the Yule Ball Harry?"

"I've seen it before the Yule Ball, but just traces."

"I think it sort of came out during the Yule Ball. Ron was so jealous of Viktor-"

"Drop it you two!" Ron snapped.

Harry looked over at the pair. "What's wrong? I think it's kind of cute. Disgusting, because it's you two, but cute."

Hermione looked shocked. "What about us two!"

"You guys are so much like Mum and Dad." Ginny commented.

"Exactly. Ron's going out with his mother."

Hermione turned a deep red, and Ron twiddled his thumbs.

"Which is probably good because Ron needs a keeper." Harry muttered.

"OY!"

"Ron, I lived with you in the same dorm for six years. I've seen your clothes all over the floor, your Quidditch magazines, you left your pocketwatch in my trunk, you almost gave your underwear to Neville, thinking it was his because it was near his bunk. Your bedroom looks like a cyclone ran through it at Mach 5 speed. You need either a house elf or a girlfriend, and a girlfriend will be a lot more loving." Ginny couldn't stop laughing beside him, and Hermione was gasping for breath from laughing. Even Ron blushed and grinned a bit.

Hermione caught her breath. "I'm almost scared now."

"You should be. He can murder someone with the stuff he strews around. I know Neville wanted to go to the first year dorm when Ron left a top on the ground and he went flying into the mirror."

"Stuff it Harry!" Ron laughed.

Harry grinned. "I only tell it like it is Ron."

* * *

_The wind whistled through the young man's ears, as he stared at the Riddle House, only shown by the full moon's light. A branch snapped behind him, and a vision of Harry turned around. Snape came into the light from the trees._

"Murderer." Harry whispered.

"Mr. Potter... our new celebrity."

"Quit repeating yourself Severus." Harry snapped.

"I am sorry Potter... I need your help."

"I'm not helping you."

Snape grinned, raising his wand. "I don't think you have a choice."

There was a flash of green light...

Harry woke up screaming, his green eyes radiating terror, and there was a crash from outside his door, a squeal coming out of someone's lips. He quieted, and put on his glasses quick.

There was a knock on the door. "Harry! Harry, are you alright!" Ginny cried.

Harry grabbed his house-coat. "Yeah, I'm ok Ginny!" he called back.

He could still hear Ginny freaking out behind the door, so he walked over to the door, and opened it.

Ginny was standing there, her stance radiating fear and worry. She looked into the room.

"What were you screaming at?"

Harry blushed. "Nothing. Just a dream. What were you doing outside my door?"

It was Ginny's turn to turn red. "I don't sleep much. I was trying to sneak upstairs to get a book."

Harry was a bit shocked. "Come in, quick, before we wake the house." he muttered, shooing Ginny in. He closed the door and locked it.

Ginny sat down on Harry's bed, feeling ashamed.

"How come you don't sleep? You used to love to sleep!" Harry protested. "Considering you couldn't get up before noon."

Ginny shook her head. "It's nothing."

Harry sat down beside her on the bed, and took her hand. "You can tell me Ginny."

Ginny looked at Harry in pain. "It's just bad dreams."

"What sorts?"

Ginny shook her head. "It isn't important."

"You have a reptition of saying it's ok, don't you? When obiously it isn't."

Ginny glared. "Filthy hypocrite."

"Excuse me?"

"Fine! Let's be honest with eachother!" Ginny got up in a fury. "You tell me what you dreamed, and I'll tell you my nightmares!"

Harry shook his head. "I told you, it's nothing."

Ginny glared, and walked to the door. She stopped for a moment, and turned around. "I'll do the good thing, and be honest with you, because I love you Harry. I had a nightmare that Snape had talked to you, asked for help, and then killed you when you refused." Ginny opened the door, and slammed it behind her, leaving Harry stunned on the bed.


	7. Marriages

"I'm leaving." Harry muttered the next morning.

Ron and Hermione sat across from him at the dinner table. After Harry told the events of the night before, Ron finally got through his head that there was some problems with Harry and Ginny, but Hermione knew better. "Why is Snape appearing in your nightmares?" she had asked. Harry had told her that he didn't know...

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, I wish you would stop acting so irrational."

"You call Ginny seeing what's in my head normal?" Harry asked.

"Well... no, but there's no need to run off."

"She hates me!" Harry yelped.

"She's just depressed. It's quite common."

Harry and Ron looked at eachother. "This is normal for her!"

Hermione sighed. "It's called raging hormones. She's sixteen, she probably doesn't have the maturity yet to keep up with Harry's..." she smirked. "lifestyle."

Harry turned deep red. "Not my fault I'm getting shot at every other week." he muttered.

"It's alright, I was just teasing." Hermione laughed.

Harry shook his head. "So, random crying is normal?"

"Yes, espicially under stress. So is random bouts of shyness, random bouts of giggling, and random screaming." Hermione said frankly, getting up to make breakfast.

Harry looked over at Ron. "This is just sad. Seventeen, and we're still getting trained about girls from our best friend."

"And according to Hermione, we shall always be in training." Ron said with a sigh.

* * *

Well, at least the conversation with Hermione had convinced Harry to stay, until the wedding was over, and now he was caught in the kerfuffle of it all. Mrs. Weasley had turned from the loving mother to a growling wolf. She could be found, not in the kitchen, but yelling that everything had to be PERFECT, BY MERLIN, PERFECT FOR HER LITTLE BOY!

Harry was upstairs trying to get cat hairs off his dress robes. An hour before the wedding, and stupid Harry decided to pet Crookshanks. Of all cats... why did he have to pet an orange one? If Mrs. Weasley saw one cat hair on his robes (which were showing beautifully because Harry was wearing green), she would start throwing frying pans.

A knock sounded on Harry's door, and he said, "Come on in!"

The door clicked open, and a little French voice said, "Monsieur Potter?"

Harry turned around.

An eleven year old blonde was standing there, looking absolutley just... I could pinch her little cheek cute as she stood there in periwinkle blue dress robes, ones that went well with her eyes. She stood there blushing. But yet, there was something familiar about her...

Harry remember a scene in his life, where he was trying to break loose a little girl, of about eight, from a stone pillar...

"Gabrielle?" Harry asked.

Gabrielle Delacour nodded. "Oui." she grinned. "It eez gud to see you Harry."

Harry grinned. "Your sister isn't getting you dunked into lakes anymore?"

"Nope. She 'as found another thing she will sorely miss." Gabrielle said, winking.

'Intellegent kid.' Harry thought.

"So, why was your thing that you would sorely miss Monsieur Ron?" Gabrielle asked.

Harry grinned sheepishly. "We had gone through a big fight at the time."

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes, I suppose zat is a valid excuse."

Harry laughed. "You know, for an eleven year old, you have an extensive English vocabulary, did you know that?"

Gabrielle laughed. "Mon soeur eez teaching me Eeenglish."

"Ah, alright then." Harry got up from his bed, having given up on the cat hairs, and walked towards the door. "Shall we go down?"

"Zat Madame Weazley eez very... er... how do ze English say it?"

"Mad? Furious? Impatient? Dangerous?"

"I zink 'Dangerous' would also qualify, but what I meant was mad."

Harry laughed, and the two came down the stairs, chattering away about Mrs. Weasley's dangerous motherly attitude.

* * *

Harry watched as Fleur went down the isle. The half Veela was garbed in a silver robe, with a gauzy veil coming down in front. Her blue eyes had no sight for anyone but Bill, who was standing at the front, looking... well, there was a trace of what he once had, as he stood there.

Harry looked over at his friends beside him as the ceremony started, and recieved a shock.

Ron had his arm around Hermione, and Hermione was snuggling into Ron, almost looking like she were about to fall asleep.

Harry rolled his eyes to the sky. 'Well, I did kind of beg for it to happen.'

* * *

After the ceremony, it was the reception. There was music, dancing, food, mulled mead (much to Ron's delight.) Fleur was dancing with Mr. Weasley, while Bill was dancing with Madame Delacour. Mrs. Weasley and Monsieur Delacour just stayed at the side for a bit, talking about their children and what they thought of eachother's children.

Ron, who had always claimed "If anyone sees me dancing I'm going to die.", was now dancing with Hermione, of all people, who Harry didn't know knew how to dance except maybe the waltz.

Harry was just sitting at the side, looking around the place, a grin on his face. It was a happy time, just sitting here, drinking Butterbeer (he wasn't going to touch the mead, he hadn't much liked it after Ron got poisioned), and talking with the people dancing past. He didn't want to dance that much, but he was more than happy for a conversation.

Then, he saw Ginny walking up, talking with Charlie, and his heart nearly stopped.

Ginny stopped too. She looked from Harry, to a confused Charlie, to Harry again, and said, "Excuse me Charlie." She ran off, almost looking like she was going to cry.

Harry's heart felt like it had stopped, and he was trying to get it back working again. Was he always going to be a vision of pain to Ginny?

Charlie looked at the running Ginny, then at Harry. "Something wrong between you two?"

Harry shook his head, not willing himself to answer.

"You broke up, didn't you?"

Harry nodded.

"Who did it?"

Harry's eyes squeezed shut. "I did."

He heard Charlie sigh. "Why?"

Harry's fist lay clenched on the table. "I don't want her getting hurt Charlie!"

Harry felt Charlie sit beside him on the bench. "Don't you see how she's getting hurt right now Harry?"

Harry's eyes opened, blazing green fires of fury. "It's better than her dead!"

"She's as good as." Charlie said wisley.

"What?"

"Worrying about you. You don't exactly try to stay out of trouble."

Harry was furious, but then Ron and Hermione came walking over, laughing and tripping from dizziness.

Ron stopped, and looked from Charlie, who looked calm, to Harry, who looked furious, and asked, "What is going on here?"

Charlie shook his head. "We'll talk later Harry." he said, getting up and going to talk to one of the bridesmaids.

Harry glared. "That's if I'm still here in the morning." he muttered.


	8. Night Visions

Harry was packing.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, come on-"

"No Hermione."

"Harry, you said-"

"I said I would wait until after the ceremony, and then I would leave."

It was a couple of hours after the reception, and Harry was in a foul mood. He was packing to leave, planning to leave in about another hour.

"Yes, but I presumed that you would wat at least a day-"

"If you two don't want to come, I'd actually be more at peace." Harry replied curtly, retrieving his socks from under his bed.

Ron laughed coldly. "You wish. We're coming with. It'll only be boring around here."

"But safe." Harry's eyes flashed with anger as he saw Ron stuffing his clothes into a duffel bag. "Why do you two insist on this?"

"Why do you insist on keeping us away?" Hermione asked, as she loaded one of her mini-spellbooks into a bag.

"I insist because I insist on not seeing anyone in St. Mungo's or near Madam Promfrey this week!" Harry protested.

"No need to get snippy." Hermione chuckled.

Harry breathed in through his nose, and out through his mouth, trying to stay calm. He was impatient, tired, grumpy, and taking it out on his friends... again. He realized it too. He couldn't help but feel an appreciation for them. They were like sponges, sopping up what he spilled out and throwing it away. He smiled.

"Thanks guys." he whispered.

"No need. Now, Mr.-I-Gotta-Leave-Now, where were you thinking of going?" Hermione asked wisley.

* * *

"Oh, he was OUT OF HIS MIND!" Hermione Granger shrieked into the howling wind.

It was now raining, coming down hard, and Harry was walking ahead, head bent towards the wind. Ron was beside Hermione, and Hermione was not amused, from what Harry could hear. He rolled his eyes and continued on.

"We're in London, for god's sake!" Ron yelled. "What kind of storm comes like this in LONDON!"

"A flood!" Harry shouted back.

They were walking down a main street, and people around them were struggling to keep their umbrellas. It was not a good night to have a black umbrella, as was clearly evident by the one Harry had to catch and give back to someone. He barely could see it before it almost smacked him in the face.

"Harry, we should stop until we can actually walk!" Hermione yelled.

"Where do you propose?"

"Leaky Cauldron!" Ron suggested. Harry couldn't help but agree.

The trio advanced to the Leaky Cauldron, one little baby step at a time, fighting against the wind. Harry reached the door, and with trouble, wrenched it open, before hurrying Ron and Hermione inside.

It was quiet in the pub. Not that many people at all. Tom didn't even seem to be there...

Then Harry saw Tom emerging from a back room. "Mr. Potter!" he said in shock.

"Hello... just came in." Harry said, jabbing a thumb at the outside world.

"Rough night to be out tonight lads... and lass." Tom acknowledged Hermione.

"We don't have much of a choice." Harry said politley.

"Ah, well, if that be the case..." Tom looked around. "You stayin' here?"

"Could we get a room?"

"How many?"

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione.

"Two." Hermione said.

"Ok, two then." Harry dug out the money out of his sack.

Tom wrote them down, and led them to their rooms. It was just a signal of how dead this place was, when he had no guests, so they took room 1 and 2. Harry, Ron and Hermione piled into room 1, and had a talk.

"Harry, I somehow get the feeling that we're not going to have any progress in London tonight." Hermione said calmly.

"I know." Harry shook his head. "Believe me, I know."

"Ah well! At least we got dragged out of The Burrow, like you wanted!" Ron muttered. "I mean, you were miserable."

Harry looked out the window. "And I'm not now?"

"Well, at least you're not around your ex." Hermione said wisley.

"I suppose."

Ron looked over at Hermione, and back to Harry. "Harry... why exactly did you want to come to London anyway?"

Harry shrugged. "I thought we might find something here." Harry said. "Maybe track down the trail of the locket here."

"Well, the last place we know it was, was the..." Hermione sighed. "The Cave."

"Yeah."

"So, why aren't we there?"

Harry looked up, shocked. "I am NOT going back there!"

"But, it would be the most logical-"

"That's a cold trail there. I'm thinking we use the Gringotts directory to look up this RAB guy-"

"Harry, that's impractical, and you know it."

"Well..." Harry looked over hopelessly at Ron.

"She's got a point."

Harry's fist clenched. "Damn! We need SOMETHING to go on..."

"But what?"

* * *

_"Professor, I need your help... now more than ever! Why won't you come back! Where are you!"_

He fought through the darkness, trying to find the old man who had lost his life...

Then, he was in a house, trying to search for something. An old house, with many cobwebs all over. But wait! What was this? A snake handle on this door?

He gasped as he came across a familiar drapery. It was open, and Mrs. Black was screaming at him, "YOU! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! YOU WON'T FIND IT HERE!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU OLD HAG!" Sirius came running from the shadows, and closed the drapes. "Harry, you looking for something?"

"S-Sirius... you're alive!"

"What planet are you from?" Sirius barked.

"Sorry. Sirius, I'm looking for that old locket." he said, pointing to a pile of old things that hadn't been there a second ago.

Sirius held it up, laughing. "Didn't you know? Regulus found it ages ago! It's what got him killed!"

"YOU!" Mrs. Black screamed. "DON'T YOU DARE MENTION REGULUS ARTICURUS BLACK FROM YOUR FOUL LIPS!"

Harry sat up in bed, gasping. Ron woke up sleepily.

"Harry?" Ron asked. "What you doing up?"

"Ron, what was Regulus' full name! Quick!" Harry yelled.

Ron looked over at Harry. "I dunno, why?"

"Think Ron! Regulus A. Black."

Ron looked confused, and then stared. "R.A.B.!"


	9. Slytherin's Locket

"Aren't you jumping to conclusions?" Hermione asked suspiciously the next morning.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were back in the boys room, and Hermione was sitting on Ron's bed with Ron. Harry, on the opposite bed, shook his head.

"I don't know Hermione... but it's the best we've got to go on."

"You think the locket is at Grimmauld Place." Hermione said skeptically.

"Yes."

"And you're judging this by a dream?"

"This wasn't a normal dream!" Harry snapped. "It was like... I dunno... Sirius was talking to me?"

Hermione shook his head. "You've finally lost your marbles."

"Well, I don't see you coming up with any ideas!"

Hermione looked to Ron in despair.

"I think it might be true Hermione. You didn't see Harry last night." Ron commented.

Hermione groaned. "Fine."

* * *

Harry breathed deeply, as he walked up the cul-de-sac.

He couldn't believe he was coming back here. After Sirius's death, this had been the only time he had visited the house that had been his. He didn't know what Dumbledore had used it for. Had he used it for Headquarters again, before he died? Were the Order cleared out of there, now that he was dead?

He went up Number 12's path, and knocked on the door.

No one answered.

Ron and Hermione, who were beside him, looked at eachother, then to him. "Looks like no one's home." Ron muttered.

Harry tested the door. "It's locked."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I would think, after seven years- Alohomora!" she cast at the lock. The locks clicked open.

Harry looked at her with an amused look. "I'm not that stupid, I could've done it."

Hermione shook her head, and opened the door, muttering, "Harry, I've known you for seven years. You don't think."

"What's that supposed to-" He stopped, as he walked into the threshold.

The curtains were tattered, cobwebs covered the place, and signs of a struggle were here. Glass shards were all over the place, and most of the furnishings were gone. Ron's eyes widened.

"Who trashed the place?"

Harry picked up a shard of glass. It was covered in blood.

Harry's eyes took on a new glint, full of anger. "Someone was searching for something."

Hermione frowned. "You don't think-"

"The locket. Yes, most likley." Harry looked over, anger blazing in his eyes. "I think the locket may be gone."

* * *

"Well, not in here, and I'm tired mates." Ron yawned.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were searching an old room, the one with the family tapestry in it, and they had been searching for hours. The majority of the rooms they looked at had been ransacked. It was obvious that someone had been here, becoming clearer the more they searched.

Hermione yawned. "Ron, we have to keep looking. If there's an off chance that it's still here-"

"You guys get to bed." Harry called over his shoulder. He had been searching over by an old chest, and didn't feel tired, not one bit... really! Truly! He's not lying to himself... "I can keep going."

"Harry..." Hermione broke off into a yawn, and then smiled tiredly. "Thank you. Call us if you need it, ok?"

"Will do." Harry muttered, and Ron and Hermione left the room.

Harry waited for them to leave, and then sat down on a couch, rubbing his eyes. He was tired, he had lied, but he wasn't willing to give up. At least not yet...

Five minutes later, Harry was asleep. So much for determination.

* * *

_Ginny picked up a locket, a heavy one that was engraved with an ornate 'S'. She tried to open it. "This bloody thing won't come open!" _

"Don't swear Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley chided. She took the locket, and tried to open it. "Well... goodness, I can't get the bloody thing open either!"

"I thought you just told Ginny not to swear Mum." Ron chuckled... then got thwacked with the locket's chain. "OUCH! Whip your children, why don't you!" he said, grabbing the locket.

Harry grabbed the locket, laughing. "Let's keep this away from you three." he muttered, absentmindedly trying to open the locket. He couldn't get it open it either!

"Ok, this thing is just a bit odd." he muttered, trying harder.

Sirius rolled his eyes, and took it away from Harry. "Probably junk." he muttered, throwing it into a bag...

Harry rolled over in his sleep. "Sirius, that's the Horcrux, don't..." he muttered.

_Sirius threw the bag into Kreacher's bedroom. "There you go Kreacher! Present!" _

Hermione looked at him, shocked. "SIRIUS! Don't do that!"

"Why not? He wants the junk."

"Master is too kind..." Kreacher muttered meanicingly. Then, he took out the locket, and his eyes widened. "Too kind!"

* * *

Harry gasped, and woke up, totally alert. He grabbed his cloak, and ran down the stairs, probably making enough noise to wake the dead. He ran into the kitchen, and down into the little cellar.

Kreacher's room looked untouched. His bed was still made, his 'treasures' still untouched. Harry fished through them, searching.

His eyes found a sack bag, and reconized it. He grabbed it, and started flinging stuff onto the bed, just throwing it every which way...

And at the bottom, Slytherin's locket glinted in the light coming in from the door.


End file.
